The Beauty of Letting Go: Reflections on Rejection and Renewal

Marfa is a place that is remote. It is inspiring and is one of our favorite spots to end the year!

Last year was hard. Plain and simple. It was a year full of lessons that took me the final two weeks of December just to begin sorting through. Honestly, I’m still processing. But if I had to sum it up, 2024 was a season of rejection for me. Before you assume this is going to be a negative, poor-me sob story, keep reading…

Beauty and life's journey surrounds us in unexpected places.

In the past 12 months, I’ve faced more rejection—both personally and professionally—than I have in years. Maybe some of it felt bigger than it actually was, but it’s the word that defines the year for me. Usually, I like to lead with the positive, but in this case, I need to start with the hard stuff to get to the good.

The Ugly

I was rejected by coworkers who left me stranded while they dashed off to entertain customers.
I found myself without a ride more than once.
Hurtful things were said about me and forwarded for me to read—more than once.
I experienced the sting of “friends” pulling away without explanation.
I endured countless uncomfortable conversations.
I cried the entire drive home from my company Christmas party, painfully aware that "things would never be the same," and uncertain about my future.
I was verbally accosted by a stranger in public after my child was choking. That one still stings.

But amidst the darkness, there were glimmers of light that helped me navigate the next steps.

I feel like my last trip of the year helped me to start a new year with a sense of fullfillment.

The Good

I have two amazing groups of friends, one from church and another from years of shared experiences. We meet monthly, and these connections are some of the brightest moments of my life.
Football season became a cherished time to reconnect with friends we rarely see otherwise.
I’m lucky to work alongside one of my closest friends, a partnership that keeps us both grounded in a stressful daily grind.
The holiday season was filled with visits from friends and family, making the year’s end especially sweet.
My family traveled more than ever, sharing some of the best trips in our 25+ years of marriage.

Travel became my therapy—a place to think, process, and reset. One trip in particular brought my year full circle: a visit to Marfa, Texas, to end 2024 and start 2025.

The prickly pear cactus is a favorite for me out west. I love the beauty and resilience of this plant.

A Full-Circle Moment

In Marfa, I’d planned to get a small desert tattoo to symbolize my love for the desert—a place of delicate beauty and harsh resilience. But the appointment fell apart. The artist no-showed, rescheduled, and then ghosted me entirely. At first, I was hurt and confused, wondering what I’d done wrong. But eventually, I realized he’d done me a favor. Why let someone with negative energy leave a permanent mark on my body?

This cup is a favorite from this trip and a reminder of so many life lessons for me.

That disappointment led me to a serendipitous encounter with a local potter. As I passed his shop, he called out, “Wouldn’t your drink be more fabulous in one of these cups?” I reluctantly said, “Maybe,” but ended up buying a beautiful ceramic cup that fit perfectly in my hand. Later, I purchased a companion piece and discovered we had mutual connections. Every time I use those cups, I feel a little joy—a reminder of the unexpected good that can come from a frustrating moment.

When my son saw this in Carlsbad Caverns, he said, "It looks like Mary." He finds so much beauty and joy in the world that it is infectious and inspiring.

Finding Beauty in Darkness and Light

We also visited Carlsbad Caverns, descending from the bright, warm surface into the dark, cool depths of the earth. The stunning views carved over millions of years reminded me of life’s duality. Beauty exists in both the light and the dark.

This journal entry from my time in Japan still holds true today. And my end of the year experience in Marfa is summed up here perfectly!

Seasons of rejection shape us. They test our values, patience, and resilience. They teach us who we are, who we don’t want to be, and what truly matters. For me, it’s my family, faith, and the friends who love and accept me as I am. Everything else? If it’s not meant to stay, that’s okay. Rejection clears the way for new opportunities.

These flattened pennies are yet another symbol of reshaping and growth. I am planning to incorporate them into a painting soon.

The sunset glow of an evening meal in the desert is an amazing experience that I cherish.

Marfa was exactly what I needed. I cooked dinner in the golden desert sunset, soaked in inspiring views, and laughed with my family. My husband and I even climbed through a barbed wire fence to put pennies on a railroad track for an art project, a moment that felt like being carefree college kids again.

As I move into 2025, I’m open to whatever comes next. Rejection taught me what I need and what I don’t. It’s life’s way of guiding us toward what’s right. And that’s a lesson worth embracing.

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